Antimicrobial coating for identification devices

ABSTRACT

An identification device that combines an antimicrobial coating with a printable substrate. For example, the invention includes a wristband with a face stock supporting indicia which are applied on (such as through thermal transfer printing) or through (such as through direct thermal printing) an antimicrobial layer. The antimicrobial layer is preferably a coating or varnish that is applied as the outermost layer and can bind with thermal transfer printing ink or supports pass through of direct thermal printing on a chemically receptive sublayer. The antimicrobial varnish includes varnish compounds and antimicrobial compounds such as a silver zeolite ion that is configured to react to moisture with a controlled release of microbial disinfectant. Preferably, the wristband is a hospital wristband bearing on-site printed identification indicia for a patient.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to and the benefit of the filing dateof provisional application entitled “Antimicrobial Coating ForIdentification Devices,” assigned Ser. No. 60/676,077 and filed Apr. 28,2005, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to the field of antimicrobialmaterials, and in particular to medical devices with antimicrobialcoatings capable of reducing the spread of bacteria.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

The use of antimicrobial compounds, or other therapeutically activecompounds to prevent the spread of microbes such as bacteria, algae, andfungi are well known in the prior art. In particular, antimicrobialcompounds are commonly used in the medical field to protect patientsfrom the growth or proliferation of bacteria. For example, antimicrobialcompounds have been added to material of hospital bed sheets, surgicaldrapes, hospital gowns, medical mask, bandages, gauze, or any place atextile or textile fiber could be used to control the growth ofmicrobes.

One example of incorporating antimicrobial compounds within medicalequipment is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,700,032 which describes abandage or wound dressing incorporating the use of an antimicrobialcompound to promote better wound management and wound healing.

Additionally, U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0092896 describes anantimicrobial sheet for environmental and human protection. These sheetsare formed into rings about three inches in diameter, three quarter ofan inch wide and one eight of an inch thick and are adapted to be wornon a person's wrist.

Notwithstanding the common use of antimicrobial compounds in a multitudeof medical devices, the antimicrobial compounds sometimes changedesirable properties of the medical devices. Therefore, there is still aneed for improvements in the use of antimicrobial components withmedical devices.

Therefore, it would be advantageous to have medical devices that retaintheir original function while simultaneously providing antimicrobialprotection. It would also be advantageous if the components of thedevices were economical to manufacture.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses the above needs, and achieves otheradvantages, by providing an identification device that combines anantimicrobial coating with a printable substrate. For example, theinvention includes a wristband with a face stock supporting indiciawhich are applied on (such as through thermal transfer printing) orthrough (such as through direct thermal printing) an antimicrobiallayer. The antimicrobial layer is preferably a coating or varnish thatis applied as the outermost layer and can bind with thermal transferprinting ink or supports pass through of direct thermal printing onto achemically receptive sublayer. The antimicrobial varnish includesvarnish compounds and antimicrobial compounds such as a silver zeoliteion that is configured to react to moisture to produce a controlledrelease of microbial disinfectant. Preferably, the wristband is ahospital wristband bearing on-site printed identification indicia for apatient.

In one embodiment, the present invention includes a medical device withan antimicrobial coating that bears printed indicia. The printed indiciais either printed directly onto a printable overvarnish that includesantimicrobial compounds, or is transferred through a UV curableovervarnish containing antimicrobial compounds and printed onto animaging chemical layer.

In one aspect, the medical device is a wristband and the indicia areidentifying indicia for a patient. Included in the wristband is a facestock, a protective layer over the face stock, an antimicrobial coatingover the protective layer, and identifying indicia supported orpermitted thereby.

In another aspect, the wristband is generally rectangular and includes apair of opposing long edges and a pair of opposing short edges. The facestock includes two portions, a body portion that supports theantimicrobial coating and the indicia and a connector portion that isconfigured to be secured at its free end to the body portion whenencircling a wrist or appendage.

Connectors may be used to connect the connector portion to the bodyportion, such as a clasp or clip that uses an insert for passing throughcommunicating holes in the body and connector portions. Alternatively, acrack and peel connector may be employed that includes an adhesive patchcovered by a cover. Removal of the cover reveals the adhesive patchwhich is pressure sensitive and adheres the opposing ends of the facestock together when the ends are applied to form the loop of thewristband.

The present invention has many advantages. For example, medical devices(such as the wristband) of the present invention with indicia and anantimicrobial coating can be used within potentially contaminatedenvironments that require on-demand printing with variable information,such as identification information. For example, in a hospitalenvironment, patients may be provided identification wristbands thatinclude indicia information such as name, sex, and medical history.Thus, the patient is identified and at the same time protected by theantimicrobial coating from dangerous bacteria that could aggravate thepatient's medical condition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will nowbe made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn toscale, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plain view of an antimicrobial identification wristband ofone embodiment of the present invention including a crack and peelfastener;

FIG. 2 is a plain view of an antimicrobial identification wristbandaccording to another embodiment of the present invention including acrack and peel fastener;

FIG. 3 is a plain view of an antimicrobial identification wristbandaccording to yet another embodiment of the present invention including aclip fastener;

FIG. 4 is a plain view of an antimicrobial identification wristbandaccording to still another embodiment of the present invention includinga clip fastener;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional diagram of the antimicrobial identificationwristband of FIG. 1 showing an antimicrobial varnish layer and printindicia of the wristband;

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a method of another embodiment of thepresent invention for applying identification information to anantimicrobial identification device using a thermal transfer printingprocess;

FIG. 7 is a diagram of the thermal transfer printing process;

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of a method of another embodiment of thepresent invention for applying identification information to anantimicrobial identification device using a direct thermal printingprocess;

FIG. 9 is a diagram of the direct thermal printing process of FIG. 8;and

FIG. 10 is a diagram of a zeolite ion exchange process.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not allembodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, this invention may beembodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limitedto the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments areprovided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legalrequirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

Generally described, the present invention is directed to identificationdevices with an antimicrobial coating 11 supporting printing of indicia12 thereon or through, such as a wristband 10 of one embodiment of thepresent invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. The wristband 10 includes aface stock 13, a protective top coating 14, and a layer of antimicrobialcoating 11, or “overvarnish,” containing antimicrobial compounds, asshown in FIG. 5. As shown in greater detail below, different embodimentsof the identification devices of the present invention are designed tobe compatible with various printing procedures such as direct thermalprinting and thermal transfer printing.

As used herein, the term “identification device” may also apply to otherdevices benefiting from, or requiring, printing through or onantimicrobial layers or components. For example, within the purview ofthe present invention are plaques, plates and identification badgesbearing the indicia 12 and the overvarnish 11, or other antimicrobiallayer of protectant that allows for printing. Notably, theidentification device could be a component of an overall larger device,especially a device benefiting from antimicrobial properties, such as animplant or personalized article of clothing.

The term “facestock” as used herein denotes generally the type ofmaterial used to form the supporting structure of the wristband or otheridentification device and is capable of retaining the print indicia 12in combination with the protective coating 14, without the antimicrobialovervarnish 11. The term “antimicrobial” as used herein denotes asubstance with the ability to control the breeding, growing andproliferation of microorganisms.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 5, the face stock 13 of the wristband 10includes a pair of long edges 16, a pair of short edges 17, a bodyportion 18 and a connector portion 19. The body portion 18 isrectangular and is defined between about two-thirds of the two longedges 16 and one of the short edges 17. The body portion 18 isrelatively wider than the connector portion 19. The connector portion 19is similarly rectangular, but is narrow and shorter than the bodyportion 18, being defined between the remaining one third of the twolong edges 16 and the other one of the short edges 17.

The body portion 18 being relatively wide provides a good supportingsurface for the indicia 12, which in the illustrated embodiment of FIG.1 includes three panels of print indicia and a barcode symbol. Theconnector portion 19 is relatively slender, allowing it to be wrappedaround a wrist or appendage of a wearer first and then covered over bythe body portion 18 so that the indicia 12 remain visible.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the wristband 10 is attached tothe user through the use of an adhesive patch (not shown) supported onan underside of the body portion 18 near the short edge or on thetopside of the connector portion 19 near the short edge (or both), asshown in FIG. 1. A cover (not shown) extends over the adhesive patch andcan be removed using a “crack and peel” method. In this method, the userexposes the adhesive patch located on one end of the wristband and wrapsthe adhesive end onto the opposite end to secure the wristband in aclosed loop. The cover, for example, may include a polyester releaseliner and the adhesive patch an acrylic adhesive that is pressuresensitive, allowing it to be compressed between the body and connectorportions 18, 19 for sealing.

The face stock 13 of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5 ispreferably constructed from a tough synthetic material, such as frompolypropylene, polyester, polyethylene or woven nylon. Alternatively,the face stock could be constructed from a natural material such as apaper material or cotton textile. Generally, it is desirable for theface stock to be relatively tough to resist breakage, flexible to allowbending into a loop and be able to withstand the heat of printing. Inother embodiments, such as antimicrobial identification badges, theseproperties may vary, such as not requiring flexibility due to its use asa badge.

The face stock 13 of the wristband 10 can have other shapes and lengthsand still be within the purview of the present invention. For example,the body portion 18 may be three fourths of the length of the wrist band10 and transition therefrom to the connector portion 19 by an inwardslope along one of the long edges 16, as shown in FIG. 2. This differsfrom the sudden notch that marks the transition between the body portion18 and connector portion 19 on the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. FIGS. 3and 4 illustrate still other embodiments of the wristband 10 of thepresent invention with variations in the shape of the face stock 13. Inother embodiments, identification devices such as the wristbands shownin FIGS. 1 and 2 can be further configured to include radio frequencyidentification (RFID) functionality.

Other fasteners may be used to connect the wristband 10 of the presentinvention into a loop. For example, in the embodiments illustrated inFIGS. 3 and 4, the wristband 10 includes a plastic clip 39 whichconnects to the opposing end via one of a plurality of holes 22. Inparticular, one of the holes 40 is positioned near the free end of theconnector portion 19 and a line of the holes 22 are spaced along thebody portion 18. The plastic clip 39 includes a base which is a plasticrectangular sheet with rounded ends. Across a middle portion of the baseis a thinned section 24, at one end is supported an opening 25 and atthe other end is supported an insert 26. The thinned section 24 allowsthe base to be bent over on itself for insertion of the insert 26through an overlapping pair of the holes 22, 40 (when the portions 19,20 are overlapped to form the loop) and into the opening 25, therebylocking the ends of the wrist band 10 together. Advantageously, theplurality of holes allows the user to adjust the diameter of the band tofit their wrist.

Dimensionally, the wristband 10 of the present invention may vary inoverall length, width and thicknesses, although they typically should besized to fit most persons. For example, the wristband may be 1 inchwide, 11 inches long and about an eighth of an inch thick and fit mostnormal adult persons. Wristbands intended to be used by infants or smallchildren may be shorter than those intended to be worn by adults. Ofcourse the dimensions and shapes of the face stock 13 can be varied forattachment to animals or other objects and not people.

The wrist band 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5 further comprises the topcoating 14 which is a protective layer that is applied to the face stock13. Preferably, the top coating 14 is evenly applied and is thermaltransfer compatible, i.e., capable of receiving the thermal transfer inkto form the indicia 12, as shown in FIG. 5. In addition, the top coating14 preferably is water resistant or hydrophobic to protect the facestock 13 from weakening and contamination. For example, the top coatingmay comprise a resin or a polymer that effectively seals the face stock13 from the environment. In one embodiment, the top coating 14 comprisesresin and a plurality of fillers and binders. In addition, variouspigments can be added for color.

The layer of overvarnish 11 is the final outer layer that can be appliedto one, or both sides, of the top coating 14 over the body portion 18 orconnector portion 19 depending upon the expected exposure of thewristband 10 to microbes. Preferably, the overvarnish is a water-basedvarnish that is applicable in an even layer and includes some type ofantimicrobial compound. In addition, the overvarnish 11 is receptive tothermal transfer ink printing as shown in FIG. 5. The smooth and uniformcoating displayed by water based overvarnish makes it particularlyreceptive to thermal transfer ink printing. In addition, water basedovervarnish holds antimicrobial particles in suspension, therebyallowing for an distribution of antimicrobial compounds within theprinting area. In one embodiment, the water based overvarnish contains acombination of resins, water, and ammonia.

In one embodiment, the antimicrobial compounds contained within thewater based overvarnish 11 are silver zeolites. Generally defined, azeolite is a mineral having a porous structure. There are approximatelyfour dozen recognized naturally occurring zeolite minerals and many moresynthetic varieties. Natural zeolites often form when volcanic rocks andash layers react with alkaline groundwater. In addition, there areseveral types of synthetic zeolites that form by a process of slowcrystallization of a silica-alumina gel in the presence of alkalis andorganic templates. Some of the more common zeolites are analcime,chabazite, heulandite, natrolite, phillissite, and stillbite. Anexemplary mineral formula for natrolite is Na₂,Al₂Si₃O₁₀-2H₂O.

Antimicrobial powders may also be used that include a soluble glass andantimicrobial silver ions. Glass generally is known as a material withhigh chemical inertness. However, it is possible to lower the chemicalinertness by altering its structure. Glass also retains metals as ions.The presence of water or moisture will release the metal (silver) ions,which function as antimicrobial materials, gradually. One commercialexample of the glass based product is Ion Pure® from Ishizuka Glass.

More specifically defined, zeolites are framework silicates consistingof interlocking tetrahedrons of SiO₄ and AlO₄. In order to be a zeolite,the ratio (Si+Al)/O must equal ½. Zeolites have a negatively charged,hydrated alumino-silicate structure comprising large vacant spaces orcages that allow space for large cations such as sodium, potassium,barium, and calcium and even relatively large molecules and actiongroups such as water, ammonia, carbonate ions and nitrate ions. Thenegatively charged aluminum-silicate structure attracts and accommodatesthe positive cations listed above, i.e., NA, K, Ca, Mg, and others. Thelarge vacant spaces of the zeolite structure allow for the easy movementof the resident ions and molecules into and out of the structure.

In general, zeolites are characterized by their ability to lose andabsorb water without damage to their crystal structures. Thischaracteristic makes zeolites useful in a number of commercialapplications. For example, zeolites are commonly used to perform ionexchange, filtering, odor removal, chemical sieve and gas absorptiontasks. One of the most well-known uses of zeolites is in watersofteners. Water having significant quantities of calcium is oftenreferred to as being “hard.” Hard water is conducive to the growth ofscum. The process of softening water involves passes the hard waterthrough a plurality of zeolites charged with the much less damagingsodium ions. As the hard water passes through the zeolites, the calciumis exchanged for the sodium ions. In similar fashion, zeolites canabsorb ions and molecules and this act as a filter for odor control,toxin removal, and as a chemical sieve.

As mentioned above, in one embodiment of the present invention, silverzeolite represents the antimicrobial compound used in conjunction withwater based overvarnish. As illustrated in FIG. 10, the zeolitestructure contains a plurality of silver ions. When exposed to moisture,sodium ions (present in the moisture) are exchanged for the silver ions.

Preferable, the overvarnish 11 includes AgION™ brand silver zeolitecompounds for its antimicrobial properties. As with all silver zeolitecompounds, AgION™ is a compound containing silver ions (the activeingredient) bonded to a ceramic material that is completely inert (azeolite carrier). Ambient moisture in the air causes low-level releasethat effectively maintains the antimicrobial properties of theovervarnish 11. As humidity increases, more silver is released.Ultimately, the powerful antimicrobial silver ions kill microbes such asbacteria, fungi, and algae. In particular, the silver ions interferewith the nutrients that sustain bacteria, thereby providing theantimicrobial effects.

It should be understood that any number of antimicrobial compoundscompatible with the varnish, or other binding or coating compound usedin the overvarnish 11, are within the scope of the present invention. Inanother example, a compound in the overvarnish 11 used to prevent thespread of bacteria may be “Inorganic Antibacterial XAW10D,” produced bySINANEN-ZEOMIC Corporation. As with AgION™, antibacterial Zeomic is amineral zeolite composite containing silver ions.

In addition, although the embodiments described above use silverzeolites as the antimicrobial compound, other embodiments useantimicrobial substances such as Triclosan. Triclosan exhibits similarproperties as the silver zeolites described above, i.e., it is a highlyeffective antimicrobial agent that is mixable and compatible with thevarnish. Triclosan is manufactured by Ciba Specialty Chemical Productsunder the trade names IRGASAN and IRGACARE and has a molecular formulaof C₁₂H₇CL₃O₂.

The overvarnish 11 is created by mixing the water-based varnish with theantimicrobial compound. In one embodiment, the anti-mcirobial compundsuch as AgION™ comes in a powder form and is mixed with a water basedvarnish prior to being applied to the wristband. As discussed in greaterdetail below, the mixed water based varnish and antimicrobial compoundis applied to the wristband using a flexographic printing press.

FIG. 6 illustrates the steps for construction of the wristband 10 usingthermal transfer printing. In step 27, the thermal transfer receptivecoating 14 is applied to the surfaces of the face stock 13, preferablyon the body portion 18. At step 28, the coating of water basedovervarnish 11 containing antimicrobial compounds (which were mixed asdescribed above) is applied to the face stock 13. Application of theovervarnish 11 is preferably by an even and thorough applicationprocess. For example, the water based overvarnish 11 may be applied overthe entire face stock 13 using a flexographic printing press.Alternatively, the flexographic printing press can be configured toapply the overvarnish only to specific areas of the face stock 13 thatare expected to experience exposure to microbes or contaminants.Preferably, however, the overvarnish 11 is uniformly applied across theentire surface area of one side of the face stock 13.

After the water based overvarnish is applied to the wristband,identification information is printed onto the wristband at step 29using a thermal transfer printing process, as shown in FIG. 7. In thethermal transfer printing process, a thermal transfer ribbon 31 ispassed between a thermal print head 30 and the wristband 10 so that theink 50 of the thermal transfer ribbon 31 is imprinted by the heat of theprint head 30 directly onto the overvarnish 11 to form the indicia 12.

A variety of ribbon types are available and can be used in conjunctionwith the thermal transfer printing process and the wristband 10 of thepresent invention. For example, the ribbons can be wax ribbons,wax/resin ribbons, or resin ribbons. In addition, thermal ribbons comein a variety of colors or print solely with black ink.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the wristband 10 of thepresent invention is configured for printing on with a direct thermalprinting process. As shown in FIG. 9, the wristband 10 in thisembodiment includes an additional layer having thermal imaging chemicals32, such as one or more color formers 33 in a direct thermal paper. Thethermal imaging chemical layer 32 is positioned underneath theprotective top coating 14 and extends over the face stock 13 of thewristband 10. The top coating 14 protects the thin layer of thermalimaging chemicals 32 from the environment, thereby limiting its exposureto water, blood, alcohol, alcohol from soaps, or soaps that couldinadvertently alter the chemistry's appearance. The direct thermalimaging chemicals 32 are generally any form of heat sensitive materialthat will manifest portions of the indicia 12 with the application ofheat.

The wristband 10 also preferably includes a UV curable overvarnish mixedwith an antimicrobial agent to form the overvarnish 11 layer. The UVcurable nature of the overvarnish allows it to be used with the highheat of direct thermal printing and still preserves its antimicrobialproperties. Much like the protective top coating 14, the UV curableovervarnish protects the chemistry layer 32 from exposure to substancestypically found in hospital, such as water, blood, and alcohol. Withoutprotection from the UV curable overvarnish, the chemistry layer 32 canbe activated, turning the chemistry layer 32 black or otherwisediscolored. The result being the degradation of all or portions of theindicia 12 (e.g. bar codes and/or human readable information) whichmight lead to errors and reduce patient safety.

FIG. 8 illustrates the steps for constructing the wristband 10 shown inFIG. 9. At step 34, the thermal imaging chemical layer 32 or chemistryis applied in a layer to the face stock 13. At step 35, the protectivetop coating 14 is applied, as described in step 27 above. Then, in step36, a coating of UV curable overvarnish containing antimicrobialcompounds is applied to the face stock 13. For example, the UV curableovervarnish is applied using a process known as flexographic printing.

The flexographic printing process may incorporate a form of rotary webletterpress that uses one or more relief plates comprised of flexiblerubber or photopolymer plates. This allows the application ofwater-based or UV curable inks or varnishes to a material such as theprotective coating 14 on the face stock 13 and chemical layer 32. Inthis embodiment, the flexographic printing press applies the coating ofUV curable overvarnish 11 containing antimicrobial sliver zeolite.

In step 37, the indicia 12 are printed onto the wristband 10 using adirect thermal printing method. Under the direct thermal printingmethod, a heated printhead 38 transfers an image directly onto the heatsensitive imaging chemical layer 32 located within the wristband 10. Inparticular, the image is formed when the heat from the printhead causesthe heat sensitive material to darken or burn and form the indicia 12,as shown in FIG. 9.

The present invention has many advantages. For example, medical devices(such as the wristband 10) of the present invention with indicia 12 andan antimicrobial coating 11 can be used within potentially contaminatedenvironments that require on-demand printing with variable information,such as identification information. For example, in a hospitalenvironment, patients may be provided identification wristbands 10 thatinclude indicia 12 information such as name, sex, and medical history.Thus, the patient is identified and at the same time protected by theantimicrobial coating 11 from dangerous bacteria that could aggravatethe patient's medical condition.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forthherein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which theseinventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in theforegoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is tobe understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specificembodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments areintended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a genericand descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

That which is claimed:
 1. An identification device comprising: a facestock; a protective coating positioned at least one of proximate oradjacent to at least a portion of at least one surface of said facestock, wherein the protective layer consists of resin and a plurality offillers and binders; and a water-based antimicrobial varnish layerreceptive to a thermal transfer ink printing process and positioned onat least a portion of said protective coating, said antimicrobial layercomprising a silver zeolite containing silver ions such that uponexposure of the device to moisture at least a portion of the silver ionsare released to maintain an antimicrobial property of the antimicrobiallayer.
 2. The identification device according to claim 1, wherein saidantimicrobial coating comprises a Triclosan compound.
 3. Theidentification device according to claim 1, wherein said protectivecoating is hydrophobic.
 4. The identification device according to claim1, wherein said face stock comprises a flexible material.
 5. Theidentification device according to claim 1, wherein said face stockcomprises at least one of a polypropylene, polyester, polyethylene, andwoven nylon material.
 6. The identification device according to claim 1,further comprising a radio frequency identification device.
 7. Theidentification device according to claim 1, wherein the identificationdevice is a wristband.
 8. The identification device according to claim7, wherein the wristband comprises a pair of long edges, a pair of shortedges, a body portion and a connector portion, and wherein saidconnector portion is shorter and narrower than said body portion.
 9. Theidentification device according to claim 8, wherein said connectorportion is an adhesive patch.
 10. The identification device according toclaim 8, wherein said antimicrobial varnish layer and said indicia arelocated on at least a portion of the body portion.
 11. Theidentification device according to claim 1 further comprising indiciaimprinted on said antimicrobial varnish layer using the thermal transferprinting process.
 12. The identification device according to claim 11,wherein said indicia comprises identifying indicia for a patient. 13.The identification device according to claim 12, wherein saidantimicrobial coating comprises a Triclosan compound.
 14. Anidentification device comprising: a face stock; a thermal chemicalimaging layer applied to at least a portion of at least one surface ofsaid face stock; an ultraviolet curable antimicrobial layer positionedproximate to at least a portion of said thermal chemical imaging layerand configured to enable direct thermal printing onto the thermalchemical imaging layer through the antimicrobial layer; and a protectivelayer positioned between, and adjacent to, said thermal chemical imaginglayer and said antimicrobial layer, wherein the protective layerconsists of resin and a plurality of fillers and binders.
 15. Theidentification device according to claim 14, wherein said thermalchemical imaging layer comprises at least one heat sensitive thermalimaging chemical capable of manifesting indicia upon the application ofheat thereto.
 16. The identification device according to claim 14,wherein said antimicrobial layer comprises a silver zeolite compound.17. The identification device according to claim 14, further comprisinga radio frequency identification device.
 18. The identification deviceaccording to claim 14, wherein the identification device is a wristband.19. The identification device according to claim 14 further comprisingindicia imprinted on said chemical layer using the direct thermalprinting.
 20. A method of constructing an identification devicecomprising: providing a face stock; positioning a protective coating atleast one of proximate or adjacent to at least a portion of at least onesurface of the face stock, wherein the protective layer consists ofresin and a plurality of fillers and binders; and applying a water-basedantimicrobial varnish layer receptive to a thermal transfer printingprocess on at least a portion of the protective coating, saidantimicrobial layer comprising a silver zeolite containing silver ionssuch that upon exposure of the device to moisture at least a portion ofthe silver ions are released to maintain an antimicrobial property ofthe antimicrobial layer.
 21. The method of claim 20, wherein positioningcomprises applying the protective coating directly onto the face stock.22. The method of claim 20, wherein applying comprises applying theantimicrobial coating using a flexographic printing press.
 23. Themethod of claim 20 further comprising imprinting indicia on at least aportion of the antimicrobial varnish layer using the thermal transferprinting process.
 24. A method of constructing an identification devicecomprising: providing a face stock; applying a thermal chemical imaginglayer on at least one surface of at least a portion of the face stock;and positioning an ultraviolet curable antimicrobial layer proximate toat least a portion of the thermal chemical imaging layer, wherein theultraviolet curable antimicrobial layer is configured to enable directthermal printing onto the thermal chemical imaging layer through theantimicrobial layer; and positioning a protective layer between, andadjacent to, said thermal chemical imaging layer and said antimicrobiallayer, wherein the protective layer consists of resin and a plurality offillers and binders.
 25. The method of claim 24 further comprisingprinting indicia on at least a portion of the thermal chemical imaginglayer using the direct thermal printing process.